Test-Prep Essentials from the Experts at CliffsNotes

Taking the SAT or ACT in December? Need help reviewing for the SAT and ACT? CliffsNotes has free PDFs available to help you prep for your SAT and ACT [CliffsNotes Newsletter header](  Taking the SAT or ACT in December? Need help reviewing for the SAT and ACT? CliffsNotes has free PDFs available to help you prep for your [SAT]( and [ACT]( as well as test prep guides that can help you improve your score. We even have CramPlans that will enable you to map out a study plan based on how long you actually have to prepare. [Learn more](. [SAT Cram Plan 9780544577916]( [ACT Cram Plan cover]( SAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, these products. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has no affiliation with ACT, Inc. and our products are not approved or endorsed by ACT, Inc. AP Test Prep Essentials It's never too early to start prepping for your AP exams. With proven test-taking strategies, focused reviews on all exam topics and full-length practice tests, our AP test-preps will guide you to a higher score in your preferred subject. Visit [Cliffsnotes.com]( for more information. [Biology]( [English Language and Composition]( [Chemistry]( What Are You Reading? Before reading Margaret Atwood's riveting new novel The Testaments, you might want to read—or reread—the Cliffsnotes on her dystopian masterpiece [The Handmaid's Tale](. This modern classic—and prequel to The Testaments—depicts the devolution of the United States from a democratic state to the totalitarian Republic of Gilead run by Right-wing religious zealots. Though published in 1985, [The Handmaid’s Tale’s]( messages remain as relevant today as they were more than three decades ago. [The Handmaid s Tale]( Got a Favorite Dystopian Tale? Is it [Lord of the Flies]( [1984]( [Brave New World]( Or maybe something more contemporary like [The Road]( or [The Giver]( From Golding to Huxley to Bradbury to Lowry, LitNotes give context and meaning to your reading making your experience more insightful and fulfilling. Check out our complete list of FREE [Lit Guides](. [1984]( [Lord of the Flies]( [The Giver]( Did You Know? Margaret Atwood claims to be a descendant of Mary Webster, a resident of colonial New England who was accused of witchcraft—and survived a lynching by neighbors. Though no official documentation of their relation actually exists, Atwood wrote a poem, “Half-Hanged Mary” about her notorious ancestor and dedicated The Handmaid's Tale to her. Natasha Richardson starred as Offred decades before Elizabeth Moss in Hulu’s drama series. In 1990, The Handmaid's Tale was filmed by Cinecom Entertainment Group. The movie, scripted by Harold Pinter and set in a grim New England stronghold, also stars Aidan Quinn (as Nick), Robert Duvall (as Commander Fred) and Faye Dunaway (as Serena Joy). To set the tone of The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood opens with three disparate epigraphs. The first, from Genesis 30:1-3, cites the crux of the scriptural love story of Jacob and Rachel. The second epigraph comes near the end of A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift's caustically satiric essay, published in 1729. The third and final epigraph, taken from an Islamic proverb, suggests that there need be no laws against the obvious. Test your knowledge of this thought-provoking tale with our The Handmaid’s Tale [quiz](. [Signature] [***]  ©2019 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | 3 Park Avenue New York, NY 10016 [Web Version](  [Preferences](  [Forward](  [Unsubscribe](   [Powered by Mad Mimi®A GoDaddy® company]()